Men's Water Polo

Stags 1-1 On Day Two Of Convergence

Oct 10, 2011

Saturday proved to be a tougher schedule for the Stags, as they hosted nationally ranked #16 Cal Baptist University and Div. 3 #2 Johns Hopkins University to wrap up the 2011 Claremont Convergence. CMS finished the day going 1-1, losing 10-9 to CBU and defeating Johns Hopkins, 15-11.

The first game of the day involved a re-match from one week ago, when the Stags fell to the Lancers of Cal Baptist, 15-16, at CBU. Hoping that home pool advantage would play a factor in the match, the Stags came in prepared to regain supremacy over the Lancers, but fell short by, once again, one goal.

The game started off in favor of the Lancers, as Chris Toy opened up scoring with an outside shot. CMS quickly responded, however, as Maarten Lefor found the back of the net from the center position, putting the Stags on the board tied at 1 apiece.

The first quarter would see only back-and-forth plays happen, as the teams went into the second period of action tied at the same score.

The second period had a similar outcome, as the teams would continue to trade goals. However, two consecutive goals by the Lancers would put CBU ahead 4-2 for, what proved to be, their largest lead of the game.

The remainder of the match was a battle of catching up for the Stags, as Vincent Schiavoni netted two back-to-back goals to put the two teams at a tie, but CBU would respond shortly after putting them ahead by one.

CMS would always score to tie the game before CBU would respond quickly again to put themselves back ahead by one.

CMS had a chance to run a timeout play in the closing seconds of the game to send the game into overtime, but could not convert, as the clock ran down and time expired, ending the game in favor of the Lancers, 10-9.

Scoring:

CMS: Schiavoni 4, Middlesworth 2, Lefor, Chong, Holland

CBU: Toy 4, Gleason 2, Troutman, Wetherbee, Hines, Butler

Saves:

Mann (CMS) 11, Ramer (CBU) 6

The evening game was a battle of two top tier Division 3 programs, as the Hopkins Bluejays came in ranked one spot ahead of the Stags. CMS set out to prove a point, however, and did just that, taking down JHU, leading 10-5 at one point in the third quarter.

The Stags drew first blood, as Maarten Lefor nailed a backhand from the center early in the game. The Bluejays, however, would respond quickly, as Ross Schofield scored by pinning an outside shot. Brian Chong would find the back of the net soon after, scoring one of his four on the game, to put CMS up 2-1, while John Holland scored the very next play, widening the gap, 3-1. It wasn't long before Alex Whittam would strike from the outside to bring the Bluejays back within one. After the first quarter, the Stags were still able to maintain a one-goal lead over JHU, 4-3.

The second quarter, JHU came out fired up, as they scored back-to-back goals to take the lead 5-4. CMS maintained composure and, through fierce defensive efforts, managed to create two more opportunities which they converted on to take back the lead, 6-5, going into halftime.

After the five minute halftime, the Stags regrouped and took hold of the situation, going on a 4-0 run led by Huston Middlesworth's two tallies, giving CMS their largest lead of the game, 10-5.

Hopkins, however, would respond with four of their own to put the game back within one before CMS could score once again. This time, it was Maarten Lefor who would score to give CMS a crucial two-goal lead going into the fourth and final period.

The Stags used their momentum from the end of the third period to carry them ahead of JHU by netting the first two of the quarter to go up by four. The Stags maintained this four-goal margin for the remainder of the game, responding to JHU's lone two goals of the fourth period with two of their own, and ended the battle, 15-11.